SUPB to lose $12,000 in funding

The Student Union Programming Board is known best for its success in putting on various events and activities both on and off campus throughout the year for students to meet new friends, have some fun and enjoy all that JCU and Cleveland have to offer. From karaoke nights and movie screenings, to Indians games and dinners at well-known restaurants, SUPB has done it all.

Now, as the program looks toward the upcoming fall 2012 semester, they will have to plan the students’ favorite events with a smaller budget at hand.

In the fall of 2011, SUPB had a budget of $312,000, which was followed up with another $309,000 this semester. That number will change dramatically this fall when their allotted budget will drop to just $297,000, about $12,000 less than this spring.

“The budget cuts aren’t a bad thing, [as] they are allowing for other allocations such as Late Night Programming and Diversity & Inclusion to receive more funding,” said Charlie Trouba, the Student Union vice president for business affairs. “We also took into consideration the revised spring concert series, which used to cost $65,000. It is a safe presumption that the new model for the spring concert will significantly reduce costs in the tune of $15,000 or more. In all actuality, this budget proposal is likely to increase student functions around campus next year.”

Trouba was sure to express the budget cuts seemed like a positive and necessary thing to do, something Student Union President Greg Petsche also emulated. “After discussing the allocation reduction with Taylor Horen and Charlie Trouba, I am confident that this was the right decision. The SAFAC [Student Activity Fee Allocation Commitee] members have conducted a diligent and thorough process to determine the best allocation of the Student Activity Fee in a manner that suits the current needs of students. I completely stand behind the decision,” Petsche said.

Among the members of SUPB and the Student Union there was a general agreement and understanding in regards to the cuts as well. Taylor Horen, the vice president for programming shared her view of the cuts.
She said, “I am understanding as to why our budget has been cut in order to allocate more funding to other departments or organizations on campus.”

Students can rest easy, knowing the cut from the Student Union Programming Board’s budget will not go to waste, as it will be allocated in the other areas of campus.

As for SUPB itself, they have high expectations for their future events and activities.

“I don’t believe that these budget cuts will be visible in the quality of our programming. We try to focus on having more quality events rather than having a higher quantity of events because that is what the students want,” Horen said.

Petsche said, “SUPB is essential to the quality of student life at JCU. Providing weekly events free of cost to the student body means that there will always be something stress free and fun to do on campus for all students. Due to this, I have complete faith that SUPB, under the leadership of Vice President Horen, will be able to continue to improve the quality and success of the programs they plan in this coming fiscal year, even with a four percent reduction in their budgetary allocation.”

With the positive attitudes exemplified by all in regards to the budget cuts on SUPB, it is safe to say that students will have a lot of entertaining events to look forward to this upcoming fall. “SUPB serves both the student body of present and is important to our future JCU community of students,” Petsche said.